Jake Isaacs, co-founder of Gathering the Kings, joins us to discuss his journey from fixing underperforming hotels for Marriott and Hilton to building a thriving entrepreneurial mastermind. With over 515 podcast episodes under his belt, Jake shares hard-won insights about the decline of customer service, why the bar is so low in business today, and how genuine human connection remains irreplaceable despite advancing technology. We explore the role of AI in business, the surprising lessons from hospitality, why efficiency can sometimes be your enemy, and why traditional marketing tactics like door knocking may be making a comeback. Jake breaks down the difference between visionaries and integrators, shares stories from the trenches of hotel management, and explains why being curious about people is the ultimate competitive advantage in business.

### Chapters:

00:00:00 - Jake's Background

00:02:00 - Surprises in the Hospitality Industry

00:05:00 - Technology That Changed Hotels

00:09:00 - The Challenge of Legacy Operating Systems

00:12:00 - The Importance of Customer Service Reps

00:17:00 - Unreasonable Hospitality and Making Moments Special

00:19:00 - AI and the Future of Business

00:27:00 - 515 Podcast Episodes: Key Takeaways

00:33:00 - Human Connection vs. Technology Post-COVID

00:40:00 - Going Back to Basics in Marketing and Sales

Links and Resources:

Gathering the Kings - https://gatheringthekings.com

Jake Isaacs on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/jake.isaacs.56

Jake Isaacs on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-isaacs-28071b41